Debate Over Redevelopment of Ex-Kmart Site in Livonia Sparks Yearlong Controversy

Plan to Redevelop Ex-Kmart Site in Livonia Sparks Yearlong Debate

Livonia — A year-long effort to build a new Meijer, along with apartments, on a long-vacant former Kmart site is stirring continuous questions from the Livonia City Council and a vocal group of residents. They are concerned about the development’s impact on traffic and local businesses.

The City Council recently decided to delay a final vote on whether to approve the estimated $60 million plan to construct a Meijer grocery store and 102 apartments at the corner of 7 Mile and Farmington roads. Instead, the council concluded the proposed development needs further review.

“I do think there’s still a lot of questions to be asked by the council,” said one council member. “I think we’re getting closer,” but added the developers “have some homework.”

The seven-member council voted unanimously to hold a future session dedicated solely to the project. It’s likely that the council will use its upcoming Committee on the Whole meeting to further discuss the proposal. The group needs to formally approve that date at the next meeting.

Several council members indicated they may ask the developer to change some of the plans. Still, the development plan is moving forward as the council delves into details such as the size of the Meijer sign, the amount of truck traffic, placement of berms, and building materials.

“Substantial movement has been made,” said another council member.

The president of the development firm stated, “We’ve been on this for more than a year. We’ve done a lot of homework on this. We’ve listened to you and listened to the residents. We are trying to do everything we can, and we want to get it going.”

Last July, the developer debuted a plan to redevelop the 16.5-acre site that has been vacant since 2017 after a Kmart store shut down. The site has seen several changes since the original proposal, which included a 75,000 square-foot Meijer and more than 200 rental units in four-story buildings. Facing opposition from residents, the developer revised the plan, cutting the number of planned apartments nearly in half and redesigning the residential buildings to two and three stories.

Despite the changes, residents continue to voice concerns. Some worry the rental units will eventually result in “subsidized housing,” while others fear the development will lead to too much truck traffic and overall congestion. Concerns also extend to the impact on small independent retailers.

“We’ve been talking about what to do with the site since the Kmart closed,” said another council member.

One resident argued the city doesn’t “need another grocery store.” Livonia already has several options, including another Meijer, Kroger, Walmart, and Target. A Whole Foods is also being proposed as part of another redevelopment in the area.

The City Council President mentioned about 50 residents have reached out about the development over the past year, showing mixed opinions. He emphasized that decisions need to make sense 30 to 40 years down the road.

The former Kmart site holds sentimental value for many Livonia residents, reminiscent of past local landmarks. Some see the new grocer and housing proposal as adapting to the changing housing and retail landscape.

In a brief comment, the Meijer company stated, “We’re still early in the approval process, but we hope to have more information to share in the coming weeks.”

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